In one quick move, my gun disappears from my hand and ends up in his. He pumps his brows, much too pleased with himself. Training takes over, and I kick his arm. He curses, dropping the gun to the floor. We both dive for it, but Liam goes for the cheap shot, elbowing me in the ribs. He gets the gun, but I snatch his leg, tripping him as he tries to stand.
I leap on top of him, reaching for the gun above his head. He’s got one arm locked around my waist, smashing me into him and preventing me from reaching the gun. I stretch, wiggling my fingers…almost.
My face is inches from his, but as I’m struggling, he’s grinning.
“Just as I pictured it.” His breath burns my neck, adding insult to injury.
“Try picturing the color orange. It will look great on you.”
His lips twitch ever so slightly, and his hold on the gun releases. I pinch the inside of his arm, breaking his hold on my waist and snatching the gun from his hand. I scoot to my knees, hovering over him, the barrel of the gun inches from his chest. “Let’s go, Hawthorne. You are under arrest.”
He purses his lips, sitting up enough to rest lazily on his elbows. “But if we leave now, you’ll miss the best part.”
Something clicks behind me, and Liam’s eyes flick to the door. His eyebrows shoot up. He’s trying to distract me, but it won’t work.
“The best part will be locking your sorry a—” The words are taken from my lips. From my body. A warm damp cloth clamps against my mouth, and though I fight it, desperately, the chloroform takes me.
Chapter 2
Liam
Serena Cruz drops tothe floor beside me, her head banging on the hardwood, her gun skittering under the couch. I cringe.
“Was that really necessary?” I ask the brute above us. He snuck in while Serena and I were fighting. It was getting pretty heated, too. He could have ruined a delightful kiss, which annoys me on numerous levels. But I didn’t expect him to knock her out. Though maybe it’s for the best. It’s me he’s after, and hopefully, he’ll leave her, since she didn’t see his face.
The brute turns his attention and gun on me, stuffing the rag into the pocket of his cargo pants. “Come on, pretty boy. You’re coming with me.”
“Sorry, I didn’t get a name.” I extend a hand.
“And you won’t.” He kicks my wrist.
“That’s not very professional.”
His gun clicks. The universal sign forshut up and move.
I sigh. “And the agent?”
His gaze darts to her, and something menacing lights his dark irises. “Don’t worry, she’s coming too. I’ve got somethingextraspecial in mind for her.”
I clench my jaw. That doesn’t sit well with me, but I’ll solve that problem next.
I peel myself off the floor, gently nudging Serena off my leg and swiping something from her belt as I do. My gun is tucked in the fruit bowl. My knife is behind the picture frame. All are out of reach at this moment.
I slip her taser behind my back even though I’ve never used one before. I didn’t even know agents carried them. Maybe only Serena does.
“I should probably tell you… you are number seventeen.”
He scowls. “What are you talking about?”
“The seventeenth henchman to come after me,” I say with a shrug. “And I’m still standing.” It’s all a big misunderstanding. I retrieved a jewelry box and a ring worth forty million dollars that belonged to the Winthrops. But they got impatient. It’s been almost three weeks, and thugs keep showing up. I have to move locations every time. It’s becoming tiresome. I can’t even make it to the airport without someone recognizing me and causing a problem. But I will return the ring and jewelry box. The Winthrops deserve that much. I’d like to do so onmyterms. Getting rid of these men is nothing I can’t handle.
“You won’t be standing for long.”
I wrinkle my nose. “No, sorry. Arrogance doesn’t look good on you. Didn’t you hear? The bounty has been called off.”
“Nice try,” the brute barks. “I talked to the boss yesterday.”
The boss? As in Robert Winthrop, I assume. “How is dear old Bob, anyway?”
